Drifting and striding, in Hollywood and elsewhere, with Geoff Nicholson - author of The Lost Art of Walking, and Walking in Ruinswithcholson, author of Toff Nidrifting and stomping withcholson, author of The Lost Art of Walking, considers the narrower and wider shores of obsessive pedestrianism.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

GROS WALKING

One or two people have drawn my attention to a new book titled A Philosophy of Walking by Frédéric Gros, who turns out to be French. I admit I haven’t read it yet, but it seems
to cover the usual suspects: Rousseau, Kant, Nietzsche, Rimbaud, Thoreau,
et al. I gather Gros is part of a
school of French philosophers (I’d guess de Certeau is top dog among them) who
are interested in “le quotidien,” i.e. the philosophy of daily life rather than
of grand universal themes (though ultimately I don't doubt that these turn out to be the same); and I suppose walking is about as quotidian as it
gets.

Photograph of Frederic Gros by Rannjan Joawn

However, even though I haven’t read the book as yet (I
will, trust me) I have read a very winning article in the Guardian by Carole
Cadwalladr, who was sent over to France to go walking with Gros, and interview
him. It seems to have been a jolly
occasion. Gros seems modest and willing
to be amused. He talks about"la joie de la marche" and how his teenage children have grown out of it. Cadwalladr seems feisty and genuinely amusing, and I suspect she makes Gros sound a bit more fun that he actually is.

She writes, 'I am looking forward to going
more slowly. Though I am worried about my footwear. I am wearing Nike trainers.
Are they too sporting? Gros seems as if he might be more of a leather brogues
sort of man. He makes a jibe at those who try to commodify walking and sell it
back to us as "trekking". Who insist on "incredible socks".
And special trousers with too many pockets.’

Well, those who know me will
be aware that I have a certain amount of scorn for those people who go for an
afternoon’s walk in the countryside and dress as though they’re crossing the
steppes. But oh my, what a riot of mirth
this apparently harmless topic has caused in the Guardian comments section:

Celtiberico says, of Gros, “He sounds
like someone whose walking is restricted to an hour or two in a city park, then
- walking across Spain taught me the very significant role of having ‘incredible
socks,’ and there is nothing wrong at all with having a couple of extra pockets
on your trousers, so that you do not give yourself abraded skin by overstuffing
the hip pockets.”

Rochdalelass says, “You're right. What sort of
idiot doesn't wear proper supportive walking boots when crossing open moorland
and open countryside proper? He'd be complaining after two minutes with twisted
ankles and tender soles. ”

But LeslieButler
begs to differ “Oh Come on! ‘Proper
supportive boots’ were only invented a few decades ago, and mostly get used for
strolls around the park as consumerist statements. Yes they can help a bit, but
the great trekkers and pioneers of history tramped moor and mountain in flat
shoes or sandles (sic) or less. It's a matter of what you're used to.’

The debate continues. You can read the terrific Carole Cadwalladr
piece here: